My view: What’s on the horizon for Lake Ozark?

Wednesday

May 1, 2013 at 10:23 AMMay 1, 2013 at 10:25 AM

Despite some bumps in the road, Lake Ozark is casting a bigger shadow as a respectable partner at the lake. Not everyone sees the silver lining at that end of the lake, but it’s easy to throw stones. It’s easy to cast judgment. As the saying goes, until you’ve walked in someone’s shoes…

Dan Field

The Lake Media staff in Camdenton wrote a complimentary piece on Lake Ozark recently, and we picked it up as a reprint because it’s spot on.

Despite some bumps in the road, Lake Ozark is casting a bigger shadow as a respectable partner at the lake. Not everyone sees the silver lining at that end of the lake, but it’s easy to throw stones. It’s easy to cast judgment. As the saying goes, until you’ve walked in someone’s shoes…

But there’s an uncomfortable rustling in the bushes.

The board of aldermen has been adamant that there will not be open containers allowed. And more recently, the board stiffened its policy on disorderly conduct. The board’s intent is honorable.

But we all learned in high school physics that for every action there is a reaction.

And that reaction — aside from a handful of unhappy residents — could be stirring in Osage Beach and on the west side of the lake. The implication in some circles is that Lake Ozark could lose some of its major events because it has set a higher standard for the community. To date, it’s a risk the board is willing to take.

Lake Ozark has become the place to be for parades, boat shows and car shows, community celebrations, etc. Bagnell Dam Blvd., specifically The Strip, is a natural for all types of events. The mechanics of The Strip and its proximity to the rest of the lake make it the perfect venue.

But now Osage Beach, which is void of community celebrations except for it’s annual Fall Festival, may look at revamping its ordinances to make it easier for the events to cross the city limits — including allowing open containers of alcohol during certain events in managed areas.

The west end of Osage Beach Parkway, which has seen more than it’s share of publicity, is being touted by at least three Osage Beach aldermen as the perfect venue for entertaining the masses. It’s actually quite similar in design to The Strip.

Now the west side, led by an aggressive Chamber of Commerce and prominent businessman Ron Dugan, is salivating over the possibility of claiming its piece of the pie.

The message to folks in Lake Ozark is getting louder and louder: If you want to be in the game, then you might have to play by a new set of rules. It’s a fact that restaurants/bars dominate the Strip. If the Strip loses claim to the boat shows, car shows, parades, barbecue events, etc., those bars and restaurants could fad away.

Kind of a double-edges sword.

It’s a difficult decision for the board of aldermen. Does the city want to compromise its principals to play in the game?

Competition is good. It makes us think outside the box, makes us better business people and sometimes makes us search our souls.

Community Info

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The Lake News Online ~ 918 N. Business Route 5, Camdenton, MO 65020 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service